Midnight Hour
by HIJKay
Summary: Neither Quinn nor Rachel would have never guessed that it would be Quinn's pregnancy cravings that would bring them together.


It was like clock work at this point; every night for the past two months, Quinn Fabray woke up at midnight with an undeniable craving. Despite the annoyance of pulling herself out of her cozy cot and trudging up the stairs from the basement, she usually had no problem satisfying her craving of the night. She opened her eyes and tried to blink away the fatigue that clouded her mind as she grasped at the memory of her first midnight craving.

She was six months pregnant at that time and while she was constantly _starving_, she hadn't had any big cravings. But at midnight on a Tuesday, she woke up and found herself absolutely ravenous for a pack of Rollos. She groaned and swung her feet over the side of the cot and tried to ignore the sound of her back cracking and the sharp pains shooting through it with each snap, crackle, and pop. She dug through the night stand next to her and pulled out a pair of warm and fuzzy socks, after she slipped them on; she rose to her feet and shuffled to the bottom of the stairs.

Quinn meandered through the laundry baskets and various pool cleaning supplies, trying to ignore the fact it couldn't be good to sleep with such a large quantity of chemicals, through the dark with practiced ease. She found the bottom step and slowly creeped her way to the top, pausing half way up when a particularly loud squeak echoed up the stairs and slipped through the cracked door at the top. She allowed another pregnant pause when she reached the door, using the moment to catch her breath and rub her belly when she felt her baby send a kick against her ribs, "Shhhh, baby, I'm on a mission." Quinn breathed into the night and for that moment, the little one was satisfied.

She pushed the door open and immediately a loud gasp flew from her mouth, a hand quickly covered it as another flailed for a moment before settling against the door frame. Glad that she suppressed the urge to take a step back, Quinn narrowed her eyes as she struggled to make out the shape sprawled on the couch. After a moment, her eyes were able to take in the frumpy form of Mrs. Puckerman, currently snoring as she slept on the living room sofa. Her eyes bugged out as she attempted to soothe not only her baby, who kicked again in protest, but also her rapidly beating heart.

"Jesus." She breathed once again in the dark, shaking her head as she pushed away from the door frame and into the hallway that led to her favorite room in the house; the kitchen. She passed the threshold and flipped the switch, blinking away the pain as the light assaulted her irises. She stumbled and leaned against the counter for support as she ducked her head away from the light and covered her eyes with her free hand.

She cracked her left eye open as a test and carefully worked both of her eyes open as they adjusted to the harsh light illuminating the white washed walls and cluttered counters that the Puckermans called their kitchen. Ignoring the food caked dishes piling in the sink and over flowing onto the bordering counter. Her eyes zeroed in on the pantry where Noah Puckerman was known to hide candy bars and other snacks behind a wall of canned soup that was caked in dust. She quickly walked over and nearly ripped the pantry door off it's hinges with her enthusiasm as her other arm shot forward and grabbed two stacked cans, quickly shoving them aside to reveal the treasures hidden inside. Quinn felt her whole body deflate as she was met with empty space and disappointment, her stomach growling the second it realized she wouldn't be feasting on his stash tonight. She pondered for a moment, toying with the idea of Puck moving his stash once he realized the pregnant teen had found it, but she dismissed it as quickly as it came; Puck wasn't crafty enough to find another spot, plus he wouldn't be able to find anything on the nights he staggered in with his breath reeking of alcohol. Quinn quickly made her way back down to the basement, this time turning on the light at the top of the stairs and another at the bottom, and found herself slipping on a pair of sweats and a parka as she made a game time decision. Two miles down the rode there was a Sheetz that was open twenty four hours that would _surely_ carry Rollos or any kind of candy she could get her hands on. Two miles wasn't that far, and it was a Tuesday so the chances of any dirty deeds being done on an average night like tonight were slim, or so she rationalized.

Within minutes she was meandering down the streets of Lima towards her prized destination, her stomach growling every few minutes as the images of dancing Rollos continued to plague her thoughts. It was only fifteen minutes later that she found herself approaching a small building, completely lit up with one loan car in the small parking lot, and her pace quickened. Sure, her ankles were beginning to ache, but the thoughts of Rollos were too tantalizing to resist. The door let out a shrill ring when she pushed herself through, trying to ignore the surprised expression that the cashier wore, an older woman with brittle nicotine teeth with spaces between each one, and continued towards the revered candy aisle.

Quinn let a grin overtake her lips as she grabbed not one, not two, but three backs of Rollos, cradled in her hands like a newborn baby as she felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards Puck for leaving ten bucks in his pants pocket on laundry day. Practically skipping towards the cashier, she laid her treasures on the counter and couldn't help but notice the woman was beaming right back at her. Her fingers were wrinkled and bony, with no wrings on them, and as she rung up her items, her lips moved, "Well, isn't it a bit late for ya to be walkin' 'round town?" Quinn's smile faded every so slightly, but didn't comment; instead, she wordlessly handed the woman a ten dollar bill. "Hmmm, be careful now. If ya want, ya can take a cup of coffee for the walk home." She wasn't expecting the offer, but politely refused, "No, thank you. It's a short walk and I... need to sleep when I get home. I just really wanted some rollos." The woman, who's name tag read Gloria, gave Quinn a knowing smile and nod, "Alrighty, you have yourself a good night!" She gave Gloria a shy smile and a nod before snatching the bag and her change away and pivoting on her feet to vacate the store. The bell shrilled again on exit and Quinn's will power lasted until she left the parking before she found herself tearing into the first packet of Rollos. She moaned, which would have been embarrassing if not for the fact that she was alone, as her tongue caressed the chocolate and sucked on the caramel.

She waddled the rest of the way home, peacefully sucking on a new piece of candy until she finished the first pack and tucking the other two into the pocket of her parka.

Quinn shook her head at the memory and groaned when her mind fixated on her latest craving. _Bacon._ Something she hadn't eaten since two weeks after moving in with Puck and then guilt tripping his mother into buying microwave ready bacon after the first week of moving in. It didn't take much, just turning the water works on while eating dinner one night had Puck frantically running around the house as his mother barked orders around her. Soon she was shuffled into the car and they were on their way to the grocery store to pick up a pack of bacon. It was completely worth it, even when Mrs. Puckerman made a point to announce that it would be the first and _only_ time they would allow pork into the house. Biting her lip, Quinn slipped on a pair of socks and tennis shoes as she wondered if Sheetz even sold anything with bacon that would appease the beast growling and crawling in her stomach. She pictured the shelf full of premade sandwiches that were offered and wondered if any of them had bacon, she could easily buy a few and pick the bacon out and throw the rest away. She staggered to her feet and groaned when her ankles popped in protest, ignoring the slight pain, Quinn made the familiar trip through the basement and up the stairs, she grabbed Puck's house key and quietly showed herself out into the night.

She wore her trademark tennis shoes and sweat pants, though her parka was gone in favor of a heavier coat as the nights started to dip into the lower temperatures. She walked down a familiar path as her thoughts played with the idea of being a vagrant, a sixteen year old and very _not _pregnant wanderer that walked from town to town. The night was crisp and the roads were clear, aside from the occasional car that zoomed past, and Quinn allowed herself to relax along her leisurely stroll.

What she failed to notice was that there was a car, a small car that had dimmed the lights, idling along the side of the road a few feet in front of her. So when she heard a voice suddenly ring through the night, Quinn did the only sensible thing a pregnant sixteen year old would; she screamed.

Her voice echoed through the night and she twirled around to find the source of the voice, her hands trembling as she stumbled backwards and inevitably fell onto the sidewalk. "Quinn! I sincerely apologize for scaring you so thoroughly!" Her eyes bugged out of her head when she noticed a person of small stature shoot out of the car ten feet away from her and run towards her, the familiar voice ringing through her ears.

"God! Rachel, are you _trying _to kill me?" Quinn was supporting herself with one hand on the sidewalk behind her, the other protectively wrapped around her stomach as she blinked rapidly at the neurotic girl before her. "No! Quinn, I hadn't realized that it was too dark to see my person waving at you through the window and I surmised that you were igno- Quinn? What on Earth are you doing trekking through Lima at such a late hour? Are you aware of the unsavory people that walk these streets and how fortuitous they would feel to discover such a tender and expos-"

"Berry! Shut _up." _Despite her ire, Quinn took the proffered hand that Rachel was extending and stood up from the side walk. She rubbed her hand soothingly for merely a second before Rachel's own shot out and gently cradled the hand, bringing it close to her face to inspect for any injuries.

"Is your hand impaired, Qui-" Quinn closed her eyes and fought back the groan that built in the back of her throat, "No!" she exclaimed as she yanked her hand back, "just leave me alone, Berry. I was walking before you decided to jump out at me like a crazy witch from the land of Broadway and argyle.

Characteristically stomping her foot, Rachel's gaze instantly switched from concerned to outright crazy, "Now you listen here, Quinn Fabray, I am only looking out for your well being and if you are unable to cope with that, then I implore you to gather your wits and just _deal with it._ Instead of throwing my concern and help back in my face, I suggest you come up with a reasonable excuse as to why you're traversing the streets of Lima like some kind of…vagrant!"

Quinn could only stare at the ranting diva, letting her spew her peace before replying, "Well, how about you answer the same question, Berry. You don't even _live _in this neighborhood and you're just sitting along the side of the road like a creeper!"

Rachel straightened at the accusation and ignored the indignant remark, "Quinn, I asked you that question prior to your own and I expect an answer. Is Noah even aware that you're out so late into night?" Not waiting for an answer, Rachel whipped her phone out of her pocket and began scrolling through her contacts. Quinn flew forward and snatched the phone out of the unsuspecting diva's hands and held it triumphantly over her head. The smaller girl huffed and immediately stepped into Quinn, her hands reaching but her fingers never quite making it, she ignored Quinn's flushed face as the pregnant girl stepped away, bringing her arms down to clutch at her stomach. "Are you completely insane, Berry? Just keep your mouth shut for once!" The venom built up in her voice and was dripping from her lips by the end of her sentence.

"Fine, if you _must _know, I was on my way home from Finn's house." The usually verbose diva was uncharacteristically quiet and didn't offer anything else, and in response, Quinn offered the bedazzled device and one word, "Bacon."

"Bacon?"

"Bacon. The baby wants bacon."

Rachel let out a slow breath and nodded before wrapping her fingers around the pregnant girl's wrist and dragging her towards the still running car. Quinn quickly yanked her hand out of the shorter girl's grasp and sneered, "What the hell are you going, Berry? Kidnapping is a crime."

She scoffed and turned around, "Quinn, while I understand we have a very tumultuous past, I am willing to offer a clean slate and a plate of bacon. Daddy is a carnivore through and through, so he always keeps a packet of that disgusting…meat hidden away in the freezer. I'd rather you join me at my home than walk the streets but only if you refer to me by my given name, Rachel."

Quinn's nostrils flared and she licked her lips at the mention of bacon, freshly cooked and hot off the pan _bacon_.

"Sure."

And with that one word response, Rachel grabbed Quinn's wrist once more and settled her in the passenger seat of her eco-friendly car. The two remained silent for the car ride, letting the car be filled with music flowing quietly through the speakers; Quinn kept her gaze trained outside of her window and realized she recognized Rachel's neighborhood.

"Doesn't Mercedes live around here?"

Not taking her eyes off the road, Rachel said, "I do believe so, but seeing as she harbors such a strong multitude of negative emotions towards me, I've never inquired nor have I been to her home."

The pair fell into silence once again as Quinn took in Rachel's response and attempted to squash the churning of guilt that settled into her stomach.

Pulling into the drive way, the diva quietly got out of the car and led her companion up the drive way; holding a finger up to her lips, she slid her key into the door and carefully pushed it open. The two tiptoed out of the foyer, down the hall and past the stairs before finally entering the kitchen.

She settled herself against a counter and watched as the diva moved around the kitchen; she finally settled in front of the freezer and swung the door open. Quinn moved from her perch on the counter and stood behind Rachel, trying to peer over her shoulder without her stomach getting in the way. She ignored the shiver that ran through her spine when she felt her protruding stomach brush against the small of Rachel's back, immediately dismissing the sensation and blaming it on the open freezer door before them.

Rachel, not showing any sign of noticing the pregnant girl behind her, continued to stare intently in the freezer before exclaiming, "Ah-ha!" She reached in and pulled out a packet of frozen bacon and spun on her heel, holding the cold package out triumphantly to Quinn. Her eyes widened and she licked her lips before snatching the prize out of Rachel's hands, before she could blink, Quinn had the bacon defrosting in the microwave and was staring at microwave with a predatory smile tugging at her lips.

"How many slices would you like?"

Quinn jumped as she was torn away from the staring contest with the microwave, "Would eight slices be okay?" She knew that was nearly the entire pack, but Rachel smiled and nodded.

"Are you going to tell me what happened at Finn's, Rachel?"

The girl in question stiffened at the abrupt and surprising change of conversation. "I'm not entirely positive that you would wish to know the answer, Quinn."

"Just spit it out."

"He had me over for dinner with him and his mother, and then afterwards we watched a movie. It was a lovely evening until he tactlessly ruined it by attempting to put a move on me, we had a disagreement."

Quinn raised one eyebrow at the girl and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the counter for support once again. "Isn't that what you've always wanted? It was enough for you to tell Finn about…" She trailed off and frowned, rubbing her stomach.

"While I do admit that I, at one point in time, did harbor romantic feelings for Finn, I can no longer pursue them after his mistreatment of you, Quinn."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Rachel opened her mouth to respond, but was immediately interrupted by the microwave. The two girls simultaneously pushed off of their respective counters and sauntered over to screeching device; Quinn popped the door open and suppressed the moan fighting to escape her mouth as the smell of bacon hit her nostrils.

Snatching the package out of her hands, Rachel lightly shoved the girl away, "Feel free to take a seat, Quinn, I can handle the cooking from here. You can rest at the bar; a growing girl such as yourself needs all the rest she can acquire."

"As crispy as they can get, please." The murmured request brought a small smile to Rachel's face as she watched the other girl walk around the breakfast bar and sit on top of a stool. Turning back to the bacon, she ripped open the plastic and held her breath as she used a fork to put four slices down into the pan. She flinched when they immediately began to sizzle and the smell assaulted her senses, she focused on the best way to formulate the answer to the question that Quinn was surely still expecting to be answered.

The two stayed quiet until Rachel placed eight slices of crispy, putrid, bacon in front of Quinn and practically ran towards the sink to wash her hands. She slipped her jacket off and began scrubbing her arms, "Thanks, Rachel."

The gratitude was barely heard over the running water, but Rachel still glanced over her shoulder to look at Quinn, who quickly looked away and began to stuff each slice of bacon into her mouth, moaning and whimpering with each new bite. It only took five minutes before she had finished each piece off and was smacking her lips in satisfaction.

"To answer your earlier question, Quinn, I did not like appreciate the way her treated you. Yes, you lied to him, but you're a young girl who is going through a difficult time. He should not have kicked you out the way he did, that is despicable and I will not date a man who can toss out a pregnant sixteen year old girl, regardless of the circumstances."

Quinn looked astonished, but merely nodded before slipping down from the stool and shuffling into the living room. She settled down on the couch with a large throw pillow against the small of her back, "You don't belong with Finn anyway, Rachel. You're bigger than this town, you're bigger than all of us here and I swear to God, I will let these pregnancy hormones take control if you ever tell anyone I said that." Her lower lip was trapped between her teeth as she averted her gaze away.

Smiling, Rachel said, "You have nothing to worry about, Quinn, your confession will be well guarded." Rachel cleared her throat, "I have been wondering about your well being, Quinn, I know you've gone through quite a few adjustments in a few short months."

She closed her eyes and her head fell to the back of the couch, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she felt the muscles relax and the tension leave her body. "It's been difficult."

"Well, if you ever desire a vacation home, of sorts, we do have a guest room. I imagine it is difficult transitioning from a room of your own to Noah's, last Hanukah my family and I spent an evening with Noah and his mother; his room was rather unpleasant."

Quinn allowed the corner of her mouth to twitch in acknowledgement, she knew his room was horrid, but they set up her own little crypt in the basement.

"Listen, Quinn, I know we have always played our game of push and pull, but you're more than welcome to stay the night. I could call Noah in the morning as to not let them worry. It's nearly one in the morning and I not entirely sure if I could drive being as," Rachel's tangent was interrupted by a loud yawn, "tired as I am. Besides, I could treat you with vegan pancakes and more bacon."

Her head lulled to the side to stare at the girl, she tried to still her rapidly beating heart as she lifted her head from the couch, "I don't think that's a good idea, Berry. I really want to go home now." Quinn's voice was soft and shaky as she spoke.

Rachel gave Quinn a tight lipped smile and stood from the couch, "Let's get you home, then. Sleep is very important and you really need to rest, Quinn."

Quinn stood slowly, wincing as her back protested from the pressure being applied, "Thanks, Berry. But this doesn't mean we're friends."

"I know, Quinn. I know."


End file.
